Does Hamas Have the Courage to Admit Failure? – Jason Greenblatt
After ruling Gaza with an iron fist for a decade, Hamas has a pathetic track record. Tragically, many seem to believe that Hamas’ rule is intractable and the suffering of the Palestinian people inevitable. But those of us on the peace team are beholden to find a path to a brighter future for the Palestinians of Gaza.
Hamas, not the U.S. or Israel, has hijacked vast fortunes and spent it on weapons to terrorize Israelis, instead of spending it on hospitals, water, schools and the many other things so desperately needed in Gaza. Hamas, not Israel, has inflicted ever-greater restrictions on Gaza by repeatedly hiding materials to make weapons in shipments of humanitarian aid and other goods being moved into Gaza.
The humanitarian disaster caused by Hamas’ exploitation of the Palestinians of Gaza demands that we focus immediately on basics such as power, sanitation and drinking water. The writer is an assistant to President Trump and special representative for international negotiations.(Washington Post)